Varsity dons proffer solution to food shortage

By DAYO ADESULU

Experts in crop protection and environmental biology at the University of Ibadan have said that, to arrest the shortage of food in the country, apart from embarking on massive production of food, adequate measures must be put in place to protect harvested crops in store and the ones in the farm.

Speaking at a press briefing in Ibadan to mark 50 years of the Department of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology, University of Ibadan, Professor Adeniyi Togun, Head of the Department, said, “The missing link between abundance supply of food and shortage of food production in a nation is the measure put in place to protect and preserve the crops.”

He noted that no amount of energy put in food production without adequate measures to protect both the harvested and non harvested crops will yield the desired result, adding “Complete understanding of the way of life of these organisms, progress may be made in increasing the productivity of plants and overall production of various agriculture products.”

According to Togun, if tertiary institutions offering this course have all the wherewithal to train graduates in this field, our country will have little or no problem feeding the over 140 million population.

It was in this regards he called on the school alumni to contribute generously to the department’s N500 million golden jubilee fund, proceeds of which will be used in making the department 21st century compliant in terms of facilities for teaching and research.